Winner: The University of Central Florida with Basic Phonetics Escape Room: A Final Assessment Experience
The University of Central Florida replaced a traditional final exam with a team‑based “escape room”, using an immersive “cave,” a space filled with interactive screens, cameras, and lasers. Instead of sitting silently and answering test questions on paper, students worked together in a simulated hospital room to solve a series of puzzles in order to help the "doctor” find something for the "patient" before surgery.
Each puzzle tested the same knowledge a traditional exam in this course would, but within a hands‑on scenario. The clues were presented digitally through touch-screen elements in the room. Students had to talk through their thinking, test ideas, and make decisions together. After escaping the room, each student filled out a form to demonstrate knowledge. This allowed them to show what they learned throughout the semester in multiple ways.
The goal was to create a more inclusive assessment that reduced test anxiety, supported different learning styles, and reflected how people actually work in healthcare settings—collaboratively. Students reflected on their learning, and nearly all (95.5%) rated the assessment as excellent. The project shows how digital, immersive assessments can improve engagement and confidence while still evaluating essential skills.
